The durability of electronic devices is a major concern to consumers. Protective cases for cell phones, tablets, laptops, and other electronic devices are in high demand. Most protective cases provide protection from scratches and other physical damage; very few protective cases provide protection against water damage. Protective cases that provide protection against water damage do so by ensuring that the electronic device is not exposed to water, and generally encase or envelop the entire electronic device. As a result, waterproof cases tend to be somewhat bulky or large and may limit access to the electronic device.
Some companies, such as HzO, Inc., take a different approach to protecting electronic devices from water. HzO's approach employs the application of a thin film, or protective coating, to circuitry and/or components inside of an electronic device. This protective coating protects the electronic device from exposure to water and other types of moisture without requiring a bulky external protective case. The moisture-resistant coatings that have been developed by HzO protect electronic devices from a variety of different types of incidental or accidental exposure to moisture, including high humidity, rain, spilled drinks, the washing machine, or even if the device is immersed in water.
While protective coatings like those developed by HzO may protect the interior of an electronic device, the ports of the electronic device, including ports that enable charging of the battery of the electronic device and/or enable the electronic device to electrically couple to and/or communicate with other devices (e.g., computers, peripheral devices, etc.) are typically still exposed to moisture, as it is necessary to establish electrical contact with the electrically conductive features (e.g., pins, leads, other electrical contacts, etc.) of the ports for the ports to serve their intended use(s).
The ports of an electronic device may be used for electrical charging of batteries or other portable power supplies, data transfer, audio output/input or other functions. Typically, when an electronic device is powered on, a constant voltage is applied to its ports, regardless of whether or not a connector is externally coupled to the port, and regardless of whether or not the port is in use. If such a port is exposed to water, a short circuit between one or more electrical connectors could damage the port or the electronic device. In addition, the voltage and resulting current, combined with the water and ions, dissolved solids or other materials in the water, can degrade or damage the port by facilitating corrosion of the electrical connections.